Many injuries have occurred due to poor night time visibility. In an attempt to alleviate this problem various devices have been proposed to give visible notice of one's presence under low light situations. These devices include, for example, various forms of reflectors, and steady and flashing lights which are attached to people, animals or objects. For example, a person running on the side of a road at night may wear a device which incorporates a reflector or flashing light in an attempt to be more visible to passing motorists. Likewise, such a device may be attached to a collar of a dog or to a surface on a bicycle frame enhancing the likelihood of visual detection. Such devices can increase visibility during daylight hours as well as at night. In the past, however, designs have fallen short of their intended purpose: to dependably and effectively increase detection of the person, animal, or object to which the device is attached.
Reflectors, for example, since they are dependent on an external light source, will fail in the situation where a motorist approached an intersection and, after stopping, makes a right turn without noticing a bicyclist who had come up alongside the motorist. Also, reflectors often lead to confusion. If there are numerous lights in close proximity at an intersection, a reflector as a light source may be mistaken as another motorist traveling at the speed of traffic or a stationary light along the roadside, depending on the motorist's perception. Both situations may lead to serious physical injury to the motorist and bicyclist.
Other indicators rely on various moving parts which are subject to wear and fatigue resulting in failure. For example, one design for a bike requires a generator to supply power to a light source mounted on the bike. The generator is activated by bringing one end of the generator rotor in physical contact with the bike tire or wheel. As the wheel turns the generator produces power for the light source. Since the generator is physically touching the tire or wheel, wear to the tire or wheel occurs which may ultimately lead to wheel failure. Additionally, since the generator and the light source are typically mounted in separate areas, a conductor to carry power to the light must be used. In operation, a bike is subjected to environmental elements resulting in dirt and moisture, and vibration invading the electrical connections leading to failure due to corrosion or wire breakage. While battery powered devices may solve some of these problems, batteries are expensive, wear out, and are hazardous to the environment.